What Does The Left Side Of The Brain Control

An image of a brain with flowers on the right side and wires on the left.

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If you're like me, you learned that about ninety% of people are right-handed and much of the reason is genetic. And that's true, although it remains a mystery why our genetic evolution led to so many more righties than lefties.

But for certain tasks, handedness can be "overcome." For example, right-handed kids learning to play tennis, golf, or baseball tin go successful striking from "the other side." Information technology may exist more than a matter of how they are taught and what gets reinforced than nigh a hard-wired preference for one hand or the other.

According to recent inquiry, the thought of people being "left-brained" or "correct-brained" may also be less fixed than nosotros'd thought.

Recognize yourself?

According to conventional wisdom, people tend to have a personality, thinking style, or mode of doing things that is either right-brained or left-brained.

Those who are right-brained are supposed to be intuitive and artistic free thinkers. They are "qualitative," big-picture thinkers who experience the earth in terms that are descriptive or subjective. For example, "The skies are gray and menacing; I wonder if information technology's going to rain?"

Meanwhile, left-brained people tend to be more quantitative and analytical. They pay attending to details and are ruled by logic. Their view of the weather is more likely, "The forecast said there was only a 30% gamble of rain, just those cumulonimbus clouds will probably bring thunder equally well as rain."

A pop book first published in 1979,Drawing on the Correct Side of the Brain, extends this concept. It suggests that regardless of how your encephalon is wired, getting in bear upon with your "right brain" will assistance you encounter — and draw — things differently.

These notions of "left and right brain-ness" are widespread and widely accustomed. But they may also be incorrect.

Location matters

In that location is truth to the idea that some brain functions reside more on one side of the brain than the other. We know this in part from what is lost when a stroke affects a detail part of the encephalon. For instance, information technology has long been thought that, in most people, control of language resides in the left side of the encephalon. And at that place are areas of the correct half the brain that control motility of the left arm and leg (and vice versa). Damage to the front role of the brain is linked with reduced motivation, difficulty planning, and impaired inventiveness. Meanwhile, the back of the brain (the occipital cortex) integrates visual information from the eye. Harm to this area tin cause fractional or consummate incomprehension. These are merely a few examples of how sure parts of the brain appear responsible for specific functions. So, location does matter.

Merely for more than individual personality traits, such as creativity or a tendency toward the rational rather than the intuitive, there has been picayune or no testify supporting a residence in one area of the brain. In fact, if you performed a CT browse, MRI scan, or even an autopsy on the brain of a mathematician and compared it to the brain of an creative person, information technology'due south unlikely you'd find much difference. And if you did the same for ane,000 mathematicians and artists, information technology'south unlikely that any clear pattern of difference in brain structure would emerge.

The right-brain/left encephalon myth?

So, is the idea of "thinking with the left side of your brain" a myth? Perhaps. But, the lack of proof does not evidence the opposite. For people living thousands of years ago, an inability to prove the earth was circular did not prove the earth was flat!

But, the evidence discounting the left/right brain concept is accumulating. Co-ordinate to a 2013 study from the University of Utah, brain scans demonstrate that activity is similar on both sides of the brain regardless of one's personality.

They looked at the encephalon scans of more than one,000 young people between the ages of 7 and 29 and divided unlike areas of the brain into 7,000 regions to determine whether one side of the brain was more agile or connected than the other side. No evidence of "sidedness" was constitute. The authors ended that the notion of some people existence more left-brained or correct-brained is more a effigy of speech than an anatomically accurate clarification.

On the other hand, researchers continue to study brain laterality – that is, which parts (and sides) of the brain are dominant when considering dissimilar encephalon functions such every bit language skills or facial recognition.

The bottom line

If you lot've always idea of yourself as a "numbers person" or a creative sort, this expanse of inquiry doesn't change anything. Only it's probably inaccurate to link these traits one side of your brain. We still don't know a lot most what determines individual personality; merely it seems unlikely that it'southward solely the potency of one side of the encephalon or the other that matters most.

Image: BlueLela/Getty Images

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I enjoyed reading this article. I love finding new and interesting means to challenge myself, and as a predominantly left-brainer, I've been finding information almost how to as well strengthen the right side of my encephalon likewise. I'm also a classical pianist, so learning to use both hands proficiently with most tasks I call up comes more naturally considering of that (fifty-fifty though I can't write or depict with my left hand). I practise wonder about the relationship between the two hemispheres, and I'k curious about those of you who are ambidextrous. Practice you find that you take strengths in both the left and right brain equally? (Categorically-speaking). Do you lot feel that y'all have any advantage or disadvantage in whatsoever mode?

Carolyn F. Sur

September 12, 2017

Equally a "both-sider," this information was most helpful. I am hands more creative than average, taught math in secondary and college level for 25 years, and discover directions when driving my greatest challenge. Earning a doctorate in historical theology was much easier for me than a masters in mathematics at the same university. I remain a "puzzlement" to those who claim to know me. Carolyn

Frederick W.H Collins

September five, 2017

One thing I come across is that Arabic is written right to left. Were the inventors of written Standard arabic left handed?

Richard Reiling

September v, 2017

Just an annex: Equally a medical educatee at Harvard, our genetics faculty was convinced that handedness was defined by a typical dominant-recessive distribution. This would betoken that about 25% of our class would be left-handed. However, just nigh 12% was left handed – so much for a genetic explanation!

Richard Reiling

September 5, 2017

As a left hander, this concept has e'er intrigued me. Clearly, I used my left paw preferentially from birth but many influences in my life changed my design of activeness. Probably the first was the effect of my course schoolhouse teachers who tried to catechumen, at least my handwriting, to my correct paw. Fortunately my mother stopped that just did get to to straighten out my left handing when writing.
I take developed a right/left 'dyslexia' in that I tend to get the other way than right or left when thinking or told to do so. It is frustrating to this day and I take non been able to change. Information technology did cause a few problems when I was a pilot of my own airplane; only, non equally a surgeon!
What was difficult in my career was the overwhelming emphasis on right-handedness in the operating room. Even the majority of instruments are designed specifically for correct handers, to wit, scissors, needle holders and ratcheted clamps! The debasing terms used have been annoying, especially when a nurse would respond, "oh, you employ the incorrect hand!"
So to this issue, I can't say what side of the encephalon I am using and it really doesn't make a deviation. I can say after a right sided, frontal lobe CVA, that musculus control of my left arm is the prime event, not oral communication, etc.

sharon willson

September v, 2017

Ridiculous. Nosotros bargain with right brain/ left encephalon stroke survivors which depict a definite deviation in what they can do or non practice. ie: numbers, speech, singing, behaviours.. "A DEFINITE Divergence"

Rob Shmerling

September 5, 2017

Of grade certain parts of the brain control sure functions, as noted in the "Location Matters" section – and yes, this is quite clear in stroke patients and others with encephalon illness; but this piece is describing brain sidedness and less finite functions such every bit personality types, "beingness skilful at numbers" vs. being intuitive and and then on.

Lokesh Punj

September v, 2017

Even so a vast majority of people are unaware that growth of neurons forming human brain starts early and is almost complete by the age of four to five years and the basic hard wiring or circuitry connections patterns get developed in early childhood and neurons non used or sparingly used go decomposed. Parenting with proficient coaching and focus on power of parents and teachers for a healthier upbringing and use of brain by children is the virtually important role. Good that lefties are at no major disadvantage except writing of scripts can exist left to right only….
Do we use our encephalon to its full chapters? No . Nosotros do not use fifty-fifty the skills and knowledge gathered to even a quarter of the whole!

Margaret Bourdette

September 4, 2017

The amazing thing is that when I feel virtually in tune with God,
my brain feels clear and calorie-free. I hope in that location can be more studies done with people who utilise prayer to get more than inspired.

I am amazed at how the Lord can forgive me and clear my brain, fifty-fifty after it has felt muddled or unclear.

Cheers,
Margaret in San Diego, CA

Papp Sandor David

September 4, 2017

Robert is incorrect.
Handedness is strictly hard-wired.
One tin can be forced to apply the "other manus", but it will be a lifetime injure.
Also, information technology is everyday experience, that left-handed people take unlike menthality than right-handed ones.
Non better, just different.
Nobody can deny information technology, so don't question it.
It can be a hypothesis, that it comes from the "brainness".
But even if the science cannot bear witness it, you should accept that there is a chief difference betwixt righ-handed and left-handed people.
Mayhap, a right-handed one can even "draw with right brain".
Congratulations, well washed.
Nevertheless, the difference yet exists between right-handed and left-handed people.

Leticia Sison

September 4, 2017

What about ambidextrous individual like me? I can utilize both hands in many ways though each hand is more than good in some functions than the other. I could non recollect how I learned to write with my right hand simply I tin also write with my left if I need to.When I get tired using my left I tin can besides switch to my right without any problems ( ex. slicing, ironing, property, sweeping).
When I became conscious of my existence ambidextrous , I began using my right hand as I learned new skills ( knitting, giving injections).
Is in that location any study near ambidextrous individuals? What pct of the population and how many are indeed gifted in both brain functions?

letecia, you bring upwards an interesting point about being ambidextrous. I too am ambidextrous, but not to the total extent as you lot – my left/right handedness is completely random – i write left handed, brush my teeth left handed, merely i apply scissors with my correct paw (I wouldn't be able to cut something with my left hand to save my life). As a child in school I didn't want the left handed scissors as they were incredibly bad-mannered for me. I can write on a chalk board with my correct hand, but prefer my left. I can say that I utilize my right paw/arm for nigh gross motor skills (tennis, golf). I would guess information technology's mostly gross versus fine, merely i tin can't say conclusively.
i too would be interested in further research findings on this subject, considering in truth, i'm about the virtually random mix of dichotomous characteristics one could find: i'grand very black and white and analytical….but i lack superior math skills (or want) considering i'm riddled with ADD and fly past the seat of my pants in nigh scenarios. Most everyone thinks I'm highly organized, but i'thou a flurry of anarchy inside and out, and I always go the job done in superior fashion (but never remember how i did information technology two days later) – I tin be overwhelmingly creative and whimsical, only it'due south not a constant – as i tend (more comfortable) toward the logical path most often, and thinking outside of the box isn't always my forte' notwithstanding often times the most "out of the box" respond is ridiculously obvious to me when others tin can't see it.
Then, I've never related to the "left/right brain" concept because of my mixed bag of traits. While I tend to believe the findings in the article, " lack of proof doesn't bear witness the opposite."

Robert Haile

September 4, 2017

At historic period 66 my right shoulder rotator cuff was severely injured in a surfing accident. In that location was too much damage for surgery to exist effective but with rehabilitation, I could utilise both artillery to paddle for surfing. Yet, a lifetime sport, tennis, was out of the question. I decided to attempt with my left paw and with a lot of practice and patience, peculiarly by my married woman, I tin can at present play almost as well with my left hand which is remarkable to me now age 68. I also grew upward in an extremely alcoholic and dysfunctional family developing some nasty personal traits. This was aggravated past a ruptured right MCA aneurysm with a significant correct brain insult, at age 28, causing some left sided weakness, pathfinding difficulties, and naming difficulties. I was in the middle of medical school and subsequently two encephalon surgeries took a year off classes, but assisted in the anatomy lab and worked with a neurologist/physiatrist. When able, I began exercising, studying, and solving difficult mathematical bug in my head. Later, I began meditating and worked very hard on changing my very irritable personality. As my wife can attest, I inverse remarkably over many years developing patience in addition to persistence, and condign internally also as externally calm. I did complete medical school and was first in the nation in my residency lath exams, mentioned not to be self congratulating but to bespeak how with hard work, fifty-fifty in the setting of a hard childhood and a brain insult, one's brain seems to have extensive plasticity equally a young developed and fifty-fifty at an older age, just it does require very difficult work.

Ola Adewuya

September iv, 2017

Right brain/left brain, right?
Thanks for your enlightening discussion and information. I am a medical dr. trained in Nigeria, Switzerland and the United States. I am currently practicing in Nigeria where the issue of being Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual or Queer (LGBTQ) is a "Hot Button Event!". At that place is legislation against the act and recently a bunch of citizens were arrested for allegedly performing "Gay Acts" contrary to the constabulary. This kind of action exists in another African countries. After my exposure to Neuroscience in the US, and seeing and knowing personality changes that take place in people with brain damage after much common cerebrovascular affliction in Nigeria, I came to the conclusion that, of course, certain areas of the brain, controls sure behaviors and specific actions. I personally believe that LGBTQ people are built-in that style. I respect all people of all creed and shades. In the country, people find it hard to empathise that our brains may be different and that some people may have more, or fewer enhancements, rather biochemical, and less structural differences that influence their behaviors. There is evidence, that I have seen and studied myself, that the LGBTQ people are a variant of the mainstream and should exist allowed to exist freely or protected. The question is: "has neuroscience conclusively, identified whether this group of people have a Right or Left sided encephalon dominance, or a biochemical departure in their encephalon activities that brand them exist out of the mainstream of people? If so, I would appreciate more information and materials on this. In fact, there are many nuclear families here with children from the aforementioned parents, simply one of them becomes an LGBTQ. The family unit cannot empathize why and ascribes all kinds of non-scientific causes to the strange (to them) evolution. The person becomes miserable and lives a frustrated life. An estimated threescore% of Nigerian families may exist straight families consisting of a man a wife and children from both parents versus the likely 50% mixed marriage families that exist in the US, and then the Nigerian family unit, where 1 person becomes an LGBTQ, may be an show of a genetic brain variant. I belong to the mainstream of the and then called "direct people" but now confronted with the growing dilemma in the social club and is neither an abet or otherwise. Thanks.

Ben Carter

September 4, 2017

Whenever I come across 'Academy of Utah' I discount the findings. Didn't they give us tabletop fusion and similar frauds? But your objection seems evidently sound. Unless the discipline is engaged in drawing or calculating, equal activeness levels don't hateful anything.

Joelle Morrison

September 4, 2017

I am technically right-handed but do almost things with my left hand. Brain-related or because my mother was a leftie and I do things the way she taught me? I don't know. I believe I have mixed dominance; my proof is almost universal defoliation when I see a revolving door — which fashion to push button? I too ofttimes see things differently when I'm deep in correct-brain mode and information technology tin be bewildering. If I remember, LOL, I use a breathing technique to shift to left-brain style and bingo, I tin role improve. It'south simple, involves holding i nostril closed, exhale in and count to four with reverse nostril, then hold that nostril airtight and breathe with the outset. Continue for 5 or six shifts. It actually works. Would love for someone to test that!

Bruno Matellotto

September 4, 2017

On the recently TV brain contest bear witness I watch, I wonder how some people able to sort their memory like a 'file manager'. They can call up something and so they placed information technology somewhere in 'their brain'. When they want to apply it, they'll call back it. It was said to exist 'thinking with your both sides of your brain'. If thinking with either left side or right side do exist, how do they or we control it? Is it also possible to use your both sides of the brain at the same time?

A Goldstein

September four, 2017

I gauge information technology should follow that brain activeness (i.e., electrical, claret menses or metabolism) indicates usage as in connecting with the outside world. But the brain is always metabolizing, receiving claret and producing some electrical activity. It is live after all.

Is it possible that esoteric brain activities like intuition, analytical thinking and creative thinking might occur at the baseline or footing state of the human being brain? Perhaps our observational tools cannot measure everything of importance going on in the brain.

Victor Arcega

September four, 2017

Researches to resolve the righty-lefty effect should include deeper studies on the unified and coordinated roles of corpus callosum, the occipital lobes, the thalamus and the handedness phenomenon. Otherwise, all that right-left question remain a mystifying anomaly. One such example of this anomaly is me. I am writer with strong discursive skills in words and logic who is a visual artist — cartoon, painting, sculpture, photography — right-handed and with potent concrete preference for my left stances in martial arts. I and the few others like me would be curious about what science say on this myth.

Harry Warrick

August 26, 2017

I wonder nigh cantankerous hemispheric individuals. I was tested in my youth and brash that indeed I had cantankerous hemispheric or cross dominance symptoms. At the same time I was tested and found to accept an IQ of 144. Not amazing as an IQ compared to many, but it did permit me to accommodate and learn in new means during my lifetime, at least to appointment.
I understand your thoughts on the inquiry results. Certainly other inquiry points to the fact that after brain trauma one can start to use other areas of the brain to take over functions for damaged areas.
The research you mention with the mathematician verses the artist brain scans were likely non conducted while the part was actively performing their said specialized skill (especially on the corpses). If then, and so we would see sure areas of the brain that showed higher levels of activity that others. Besides that the activity would be in many people in unlike areas since the neural pathways would have been built in their brain based on all environmental factors, age at the time of learning, and brain trauma earlier or afterwards.
Also if you want your IQ to drop fifty points or more go to YouTube and you lot will find a renewed contend on Flat Globe. I went down that rabbit whole for 20 minutes today just out of interest in the failure of our educational organisation.

Ane of my co-workers believes in Flat World —in the 21st century. It boggles my mind.
He conscribes other 'conspiracy theories' besides, but assertive in an idea in spite of overwhelming proof to the contrary takes the notion to whole farther level of ignorance.

Charles Fuchs

September 4, 2017

The failure of our educational system is very apparent on the roadways as you bulldoze anywhere. People have become more and more stupid! Brain fog is everywhere. They think paying attending costs coin!!

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